A day in Sicily, from the sunny Catania to the delicious granita in Taormina

Enough to see tourists and locals making their way through Piazza del Duomo on a Saturday morning, trying to fight my fear of heigh just to see the incredible view from he terrace of the church of Badia di Sant’Agata and ultimately eating a (actually almost three) Sicilian arancino one of my favorite food in the world.

My memories of Catania date back when I was 9 and the wind took away my brand new red hat I bought to match the outfit I created for a trip to the zoo. This shows how little I have changed. Taormina instead reminds me of the last time I was in Sicily and how much I loved it. It is a stunning, welcoming little town. I adore the warm lights and the colorful ceramics, not to mention the breathtaking view from the terrace in the main square. Above all, it is the atmosphere of lightness that fills me with so much joy.

Where I grew up Sicily seems so close it’s like you can touch it. I have been in Sicily quite a few times, with family, school, friends, but to me never enough to fully experience all its colors, scents, and flavors.A Sicily on the road tour is still in my bucket list as one of my ideal summer vacations. In the meantime I have added another memory to the many I have already collected during my other visits. It is one of those places I like to go when I need to change the perspective on things, to open new worlds and trigger creativity.

In the last few months, I learned the incredible effect of newness on the human mind and how much we need new things and experiences in our life.That great feeling, that adrenaline we feel when we learn or see something completely different from the usual.A breath of fresh air that makes me feel the urge of a longer getaway, one of those vacations I don’t go to in ages of the absolutely carefree kind.